A RARE AND EXCEPTIONAL HUANGHUALI AND HUAMU BAMBOO-STYLE HORSESHOE BACK ARMCHAIR, QUANYI
17th/18th century
Composed of cylindrical members exceptionally well carved to resemble sections of bamboo stalks, the five-section scarf-joined crestrail elegantly tapered to form the armrests supported by bowed side posts and ending in truncated outturned handholds, the crestrail tenoned into the curved three-sectioned backsplat centered on a finely figured huamu panel set between a quadrilobed framed medallion of a coiled dragon above and a u-shaped apron below, the back splat framed by complementary back rails run through the seat to form the back legs and flanked by smaller bamboo-form spandrels repeated under the arm rests, all enclosing two rails tenoned into the beaded and molded seat frame of mitered, mortise and tenon construction fitted for a soft mat seat and now set with a hat mat supported by two transverse bowed stretchers on the underside, the front rails set on three sides as a tripartite bamboo frame tenoned to box stretchers accented by humpback 'bamboo' fashioned aprons.
Chair: 38 3/4in (96.6cm) total high;
Seat frame: 19 1/4 x 241/4 x 18 5/8in (48.9 x 61.6 x 47.2cm).
Footnotes:
十七/十八世紀 黃花梨嵌樺木癭攢靠背海棠式團龍紋仿竹材圈椅

Provenance:
Robert Moore, Los Angeles, 10 May 1990

Published:
Journal of the Classical Chinese Furniture Society, Winter 1991, p. 92

來源：
加州Robert Moore古董行，1990年5月10日

出版：
《Journal of the Classical Chinese Furniture Society 中國古典家具協會期刊》1991年冬，頁92

This exceptional chair is one of six known to date, four in the Nelson Atkins Museum of Art (object number 46-78/1 of 4) and illustrated in Robert Ellsworth, Chinese Furniture: Hardwood Examples of the Ming and Early Ch'ing Dynasties (New York: Random House), Fig. 16, page 125 and p. 241; and the other previously in the collection of Richard Fabian, published in Sarah Handler, 'Outstanding pieces in Private Rooms: Chinese Classical Furniture in New American Collections' Chinese Furniture, Selected Articles from Orientations Magazine, pp. 166-173, fig. 9. Bamboo, in plentiful supply in China, has here been replicated in one of the most rare and expensive hardwoods available, embodying the characteristics of integrity, humility and resilience as foundation for the occupant. One of the Three Friends of Winter, it represents high moral character and resilience. The superb and inventive craftsmanship of the maker is on remarkable display here in the luxuriant small bamboo-form spandrels flanking the back posts, the gracefully outturned handholds and the delicately fashioned aprons under the footrest and side stretchers.
This lot is subject to the following lot symbols: Y
Y Prospective buyers should pay special attention to the 'Notice Regarding Regulated Species Materials and CITES Permits' published in the printed catalog. This information is also available by contacting the salesroom.

The back splat panel and seat have the original lacquer; the back stretcher is a replacement; cracks to burlwood back splat panel; two bowled stretchers, one stamped China in red under hard mat seat once tied with a soft mat; feet slightly reduced.